


Synergy

by SayZ



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Action/Adventure, Bending (Avatar), Danger, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-08
Updated: 2016-05-08
Packaged: 2018-06-07 06:31:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6790612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SayZ/pseuds/SayZ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A waterbender and an earthbender, both victims of the Hundred Year War, set out of their homes to pursue their own goals. Once their paths cross, they decide to take tentative advantage of the safety in numbers as they advance across a world shaped by a century of ceaseless conflict.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Synergy

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, readers!
> 
>  _Synergy_ is a collaborative work between two people joined under one account. The story primarily entails two original characters whose points of view will interchange in the course of the chapters, excluding the two prologues. In a way, the form of this writing is a lot like a roleplay. We have taken care to make these transitions easy to notice. Hopefully, we can avoid confusion. Other characters from the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender will also be featured in this writing. The events taking place with our characters are almost simultaneous with Aang being freed from the iceberg, again excluding the prologues.
> 
> Thank you for taking the time to read our work. We are looking forward to hearing your opinions, and we hope you enjoy!

Kyra’s breath misted faintly in front of her. It was cold. Colder than usual. She paced the Royal Palace slowly to avoid her feet freezing to the ground. The place was all but empty, with the chief and his advisors closed off in meetings. Only a few people scurried around, carrying one thing or another in apparent haste. Their step was so determined that Kyra felt that they would trample her if she got in their way. Not that she had any such plans. Despite the emptiness, the place wasn’t quiet. Growing up in the Northern Water Tribe, Kyra had had ample opportunity to listen to her city through days and nights, through winters that only ever became kinder or harsher. Even in what was supposed to be crisp, frozen silence of the tundra, snow and ice had their voices, hidden in the minute movements of the water that comprised them. Even now, the monumental palace like the crown jewel of the city sounded its existence.

Kyra had always felt rather exposed in the vast chambers. The ceilings were high here, the walls and pillars intricately carved in the fashion of her Tribe. It was far more luxury than even she, the daughter of the tribal judge, enjoyed. Especially at such an important place, she had a feeling she was perpetually under at least a thousand watchful eyes.

She straightened up a bit, tugging at her fur collar with a single, sharp motion as she continued to pace. She had no reason to feel that way, especially since she not only had an invitation from her father, but had already been here too many times to count. She was as familiar with the Royal Palace as it was with her.

She paused by one of the pools built into the wall, with a hand spouting a clear stream of water from its palm. The rim of the pool was slightly above her waist, and she smiled at it. She had fond memories of it, of when she could barely peek above it. She remembered all the times her mother had brought her along to wait for her father after a court session. As a child, Kyra had always wanted to touch the hand, but she could never quite seem to reach it. Standing next to it now, she could see the memory transpiring on the other side of her gaze.

 

_“Closer!” Kyra squeaked in her mother’s arms. “I almost got it!” She leaned dangerously out of the tight hold Mella had her in, which only made her mother hold her even more firmly. At five years old, the pool was for Kyra one of the most fascinating things in the whole Palace, though not even she could say why. Yet without fail, every single time they waited for dad, she simply had to touch the hand._

_“Al… most…” Kyra strained visibly, the entirety of her small body stretched across the pool. Her fingertips were just shy of the water. Concentrated effort lined her young face, and the determination in her blue eyes was as unyielding as the thickest ice. If only she could just somehow…_

_The thinly elegant stream of water flowing from the palm of the icy hand suddenly changed direction and moved towards Kyra’s outstretched one._

_Her eyes widened to the size of moons, and her breath hitched. “Mom!” she called sharply. “Mom, I’m waterbending! Mom, look!”_

_“Kyra, darling, what are you talking a-- Oh.” Mella stopped short, freezing where she stood with her daughter in her arms. She blinked at the water that was now indisputably streaming towards Kyra. Once it reached it, it molded around her small hand like a watery glove. Kyra wiggled her fingers, bursting into delighted laughter._

_“I’m waterbending!”_

 

“Kyra!” Kailan’s voice abruptly brought her back to the present moment. Her father was tall, like most Water Tribe men, and had a regal bearing not unlike that of chief Arnook himself. His was a voice that had incredible weight, and he carried himself accordingly.

As she turned to face her father, Kyra straightened her back in what had always been a subconscious effort to measure up to him. Her heart skipped a beat as she realised he wasn’t alone. “Hi, Dad,” she greeted him with a smile that required just a bit more effort than it should have. She inclined her head politely to the young man standing by his side. “Hello, Amaroq.”

Amaroq’s father was one of the chief’s advisors, and their friendship stemmed as a natural extension of that of their families. “Hello, Kyra. Everything all right, I trust?” he asked with a small smile and a nod.

Kyra felt great relief at the sight. “Absolutely.” Amaroq was the only one who had been willing to help train her in martial waterbending, consequences be damned. That he was alone with her father had the terrible implication that their secret was out. But he was smiling, and they were safe. They had stopped practicing several nights ago besides.

“Kyra, I’m afraid I can’t come home with you yet,” Kailan began, his hard features shaping into an apology. Judge he may have been, but he was also her father. He had always done a good enough job keeping the two parts of him separated, otherwise blending them when necessary, and Kyra had appreciated him for it immensely. “There have been some issues with the case, and I have to stay for a while longer. I am sorry that you had to wait for nothing. Please let your mother know I will be later than anticipated.” He looked at the young man by his side. “I did, however, run into Amaroq, who was also waiting. He would love to walk you home in my stead.”

Kailan smiled, briefly resting his hand on Amaroq’s shoulder. The gesture, along with his words pushed forth another implication that struck Kyra. _He can’t be thinking… Nights! Not now!_ Right then, she thought she would rather face him with her secret than face a prospective marriage arrangement.

Her smile became even more taut. “It’s all right, Dad… It’s a shame you can’t come with us. But I guess this is acceptable,” she glanced at Amaroq, attempting to taunt him as she knew to, but her heart wasn’t in it. It was a slight relief still that Amaroq himself did not seem altogether too comfortable, either. “I _will_ see you at dinner,” she told her dad with an admonishing finger in the air before she turned on her heel and strode away, forcing Amaroq to all but rush after her.

* * *

 

For a while, the two walked in silence. It wasn’t until they reached a bridge - one of many that connected the various parts of the Northern city - that Kyra finally broke the silence that had been weighing on her since they left.

“Amaroq, I’m sorry, I--” She was cut off abruptly by a rather demanding forefinger in the air. She raised her eyebrow at the young man and slowly crossed her robed arms.

“No apologies necessary,” he cut in smoothly, “since there is nothing to apologise _for_.”

“Not yet, there isn’t, but I thought I would start with it anyway.” She leaned with her folded arms against the arch of the bridge’s snowy railing. Looking out over the tiered city, climbing high into the glacial mountains, gleaming in the setting sun, she knew she would really miss her home for as long as she was away. “I’m planning on leaving in about a month. Sooner, if I can,” she said quietly, bluntly. Sometimes, it was the only way. Nothing but silence came from Amaroq for so long that Kyra glanced at him from behind her hair. His jaw was set. That was never a good sign. At least he hadn’t immediately declared her mad or run off to get her father to put a proper stop to such notions of hers…

“Do your parents know yet?”

“No,” she shook her head. “I will tell them, though, as soon as I can.” She sighed. “I have to go, Amaroq…” she continued. She wanted to avoid looking at him, to focus on the waters that flowed peacefully underneath them, but Amaroq deserved more than that. She turned toward him, though she was still leaning against the bridge. There was much she wanted to tell him, and this was not how she thought she would do it, but she could not go back now. “You know I have to.”

“I…” he shook his dark head, gazing at her with narrowed eyes as if trying to discern what went on in her mind. “Is this about me not wanting to teach you anymore?”

“In part,” she admitted. “It’s not just you, though. _No one_ wants to teach me what I want to know. No one here, at least… So the only logical thing to do is go to our sister Tribe in the South. But I will write to y--”

He blinked at her. “The South? Kyra, that is literally on the other side of the world, which - if you’ll remember - is a war zone. Surely there is _something_ here worth staying for.” His voice was just a little too hopeful.

Kyra averted her gaze. Amaroq was close to her heart, she could not deny that. He had risked so much training her, and that was counting only the most recent of things he had done for her. She was nearly nineteen years old now, three whole years beyond marrying age. She knew her parents would tie her to one man or another at some point… She was fortunate, however, to have postponed marriage for as long as she did. Even more fortunate that her parents did not bring in a complete stranger, but had taken her wishes into account. They were not wrong about Amaroq. Born into an important family, a highly skilled waterbender, a man toeing the line between diplomat and warrior… Her closest friend. He truly would make a wonderful husband… Kyra simply wasn’t sure if he should be _her_ wonderful husband.

Even if he thought differently.

She looked up at him. “It wouldn’t be forever.”

“All it takes is one misstep for it to be.”

“Well, what would you have me do?” she pressed on, not allowing him to respond. Her voice was not loud, but it quivered in its strained silence. “I cannot make you come with me, Amaroq. I want to, but I cannot just force you to leave behind all that you have here as easily as I can.” As if it really were that easy… “I cannot make you risk any more than you already have, _especially_ not your life. I don’t want such responsibility, and you shouldn’t have to make such a decision.”

He looked at her fiercely, then took her by the upper arms and held her before him. Staring her down, he seemed on the verge of shaking sense into her, quite literally. However, in the next moment, he brought her into an embrace and held her close, so tightly that she could barely breathe. Tearing up did not help.

“Please, reconsider,” he whispered into her hair. “I can keep teaching you, if we’re careful, we… we can…” He trailed off, pressing a kiss to her head.

She grasped onto him, closing her eyes tightly and ignoring the wet beads of warmth that slid down her cheeks. “We can’t,” she murmured, shaking her head time and time again. “I’m so sorry, Amaroq… I _have_ to do this, please, I _know_ you understand…”

He gave her a squeeze. “I do,” he finally said, after a leaden silence. Slowly, he parted from her, and met her teary eyes. “But you have to return.” There was no leeway in his voice.

Kyra nodded, but she could not utter a promise. “I will.”

Amaroq nodded. He drew himself up as if shrugging off everything. “Come… I am taking you home.”


End file.
